LPGA Notebook : Early Fog Sets Back the Pro-Am

Heavy fog Wednesday morning delayed for up to two hours the start of the pro-am portion of the Uniden LPGA Invitational at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa.

Tournament official Jack Warfield noted that on the driving range "a lot of amateurs were hitting the ball out of sight."

Then the same misty problem that greeted golfers in the morning returned late in the afternoon, and temperatures dropped. Some groups barely finished their rounds before dark.

Marta Figueras-Dotti and Beth Daniel tied for top honors in the pro-am with scores of 57. They each earned $637.50. Pat Bradley, at 58, was third and earned $510. Penny Hammel, Jane Crafter, Hollis Stacy and Chris Johnson, at 59, tied for fourth. They each earned $314.50. Judy Dickinson, Debbie Massey, Patty Sheehan, Muffin Spencer-Devlin and Allison Finney tied for eighth at 60.

There was a crush for parking when the morning and afternoon pro-am fields overlapped while coming and going, so LPGA officials helped park cars to allow players to make their tee times.

At one point, public relations coordinator Donna Pinnick called tournament director Suzanne Jackson on her walkie-talkie to see if they needed any more help.

"No, thanks," Jackson replied. "We don't want to share the tips."

The tournament, which begins today, offers qualifying exemptions to a group of players from the Japanese LPGA.

The five entered this year are led by Nayoko Yoshikawa, 37, who has won 17 JLPGA events and one LPeGA title: the '84 Mazda Japan Classic at Hiroshima. It's a regular LPGA tour event and accounted for $41,250 of Yoshikawa's career earnings of $748,468.

Becky Pearson of Boca Raton, Fla. shot a hole-in-one in practice, using a 5-iron on the 160-yard third hole.

The Mesa Verde Country Club is close to the 405 Fwy. Take the Harbor Boulevard exit south to Adams, and go west to Mesa Verde Drive. Take Mesa Verde Drive north and park on the streets today and Friday. Parking will be available at Estancia High School Saturday and Sunday.